Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Justification · Book IV: On the Justice of Works
Chapter 19: The reconciliation of St. Paul and St. James on justification by works
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. VI, De Justificatione, Book IV. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
[This chapter continues the reconciliation of St. Paul and St. James on justification by works. The chief argument is that James, when he says that Abraham was justified by works — offering up his son upon the altar — speaks of the second justification, by which a just man is made juster; whereas Paul, saying that Abraham was justified by faith without works, speaks of the first justification, by which the impious is made just. A portion of this chapter is severely corrupted in the sole surviving scan and could not be recovered word for word; what follows is translated from the legible passages, and no reconstructed matter has been invented.]
There are not wanting those who think that Abraham was then first justified from his sins when he believed God promising, according to that of Genesis 15, Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice. So teaches Anselm in the commentary on chapter 4 to the Romans; and the same seems to be answered to Augustine, who, expounding this place, says: “By faith Abraham was justified; and though works did not precede, yet they followed.” But this opinion conflicts not with our sentence. For we show that Abraham was already just before that saying of Genesis 15, and that by that act of believing he was made not just of impious, but juster of just. Which we prove by four arguments. First, since in Genesis, chapter 12, are recounted the excellent works of Abraham — that, called by God and bidden to go forth from his own land, he at once obeyed; that he believed God; that he often conversed familiarly with God. Second, since the Apostle, Hebrews 11, sets among the chief praises of Abraham that by faith he obeyed to go out into a place which he knew not — which certainly was done long before it was said of him, Abraham believed God, etc. Third, since the Fathers confirm the same — Origen, book 4 on the epistle to the Romans; Ambrose, book 1 On Abraham, chapter 2; Chrysostom, homilies 31 and 36 on Genesis; and Augustine, book 16 On the City of God, chapter 13. Fourth, since that which is said, Genesis 15, Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice, if the Hebrew words be diligently examined, has this sense: that that act of believing was a just and meritorious work, and was by God judged and accepted as such. From which we understand that he was already before just, since he could do just works, and that by that faith he was made not just of impious, but juster of just.
I say, then, that Paul used the example of Abraham not to signify that Abraham was then first justified from sins, but to show that the impious is not justified from works without faith and the grace of God, but from faith and the grace of God. For if Abraham was not made juster by works without faith, much more can the impious not be made just from works without faith. Therefore the Apostle, Romans 4, speaks of the first justification, by which one is made just of impious — not by works, but by faith, the example being Abraham; but James speaks of the second justification, by which one is made juster of just — by works. And so both Paul and James use the same example of Abraham, and the words of Moses, though to prove various conclusions. Further, as Paul, when he spoke of the first justification, brought the example of Abraham (which was of the second justification) to prove that the impious cannot be justified from works without faith, since Abraham the just was not made juster from works without faith, so James, when he spoke of the second justification, brought the example of Rahab (which is of the first justification) to prove that a just man is made juster from works, and not from faith only. For if Rahab was made just of a harlot, it was from works, and not from faith only. For it is very probable that Rahab, up to the time she received the spies, was not only a harlot, but also an idolatress; but from that time, by that work of mercy, she was prepared for justification, so that that first work, done from faith, was not simply meritorious of justification, but meritorious of congruity, as we said above of the dispositions.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
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Nam non: - vUlt ‘ Jkedbu^ ^-tllbth-e , tuntf-^pnmimf eaftf ' SbripIfi^dffi^MpiPetSfbfOi^etl-W^bP^irtt^igfto^l ra r £ 'p^ferftt/^?/#3 ilfep mijfe' 1 bfitdb 1 :fui§§%& diOtbr' ;cfe -fide Attetffite, quaAibP Yiddlieiet-eid-1' didit Beo;0 pAmitfdbti- si^^flym-^j^x -Sarap ! qrtoi^sOPiptuffi i&t'W,rDefi®si'telf-lp;* xM,f¥¥d> di**! ceite^vOlaft; tfinO:etfdt&Yfaife9^‘S0@ip®dfaiii 41*8 laft¥ 'impletam; qii&ndd e& ffdd ;Pbtabt' eum*-' <RTm; illum fili liiii biipbr Po&irit t^Odfifl2 ilia - veib: t' ap plicari ad omnfes i nsignes fijflBI Paitri^Obifiq^tfcniiathifOdQin ¥r: q«i^ nWfMret^aliquod-fftctttni-Na-tbaOael^inquO ■’ ejus et grrbpiicitas -appkre-ref j pOs-’’ Do ftiirius • bit *l Efee 6' Miifel i cfoi u¥ n bii! % st / dtfique- ifie^ir^tS^ j^obi u?Ii^ i’qmattet,qut0^tib'ln ''i'ScoO3fl ^ucai- -uirjj?nd3 “‘De7 vcbbfe Pa^di* ‘jtisg ob; es fi etrffiOul tasy nOn^ desiint qui &dstfiderr61] ABPahardtitii fcufic ■ p^nriiin 'juPtifieatditt iies.# a^TeCcatikv dumi (#edffdit:;DieB;'pfiOmittbnti’ de- ed^lbtbM1®» et tvpkttiiufc&l-i&ad-fiestTtictih. '?ta -docet Ansel-1 mri^dn: ebibmeiit'ai\ fiW eapl iv. ad Itoman.- eti * %fndeiB r;M#tenitiath'?MIbai*e • A;idOtur: Si' A tf^ffstmu¥,n j> f WtjhuP. ! c u ni a it-,* OxpOnens hunfe 'f&cAStfft << iilrgb.fix ';fide;jtrsti:- ficattrs ekt 'Abraharh, Ot ai ‘‘operti ndrr pne“ cesserunt', tkm’en seqUiitti Sttn-t *!>>: Et « ijiil- defri bsec!! Opinid' tei4l ‘bsset,1 • miilla esset in- PkbFd ! ••'■ oi: ■'Eiedei-uniiionaiKlciemdicei-ejAbrahamurti- irOW 'frtifefe Patri fcd^nte jiistifibafurrr. quitiii d*e: etf,!'*!dW«fe?fsal *vdMdiWt-}i vmm 'Mw?*'* ,t ,H .nidi .1 .doriii ,t) (I) Rom. III, 23. GAPt-TNPX. ‘)ftW ; . Pfiinoy.'quaniam-:in Genes, Cuq.^iif-;krtif etrxavnmarrautar egregia opera A%WiMg,GiSE quod Vocatus ;& Deo, et jussus exire deAefraP sua ,-4butinuo obedierit, quod araniPIfeo erek-erit, quod saepius cum Deo familiariter4 collocutus fuerit. • '*a - SeeuHdo, quoniam Apostolus ad Hebr. xi. i gtef' praecipuas laudes Abrahae ponit, quod ficie: obedierit exire in locum, quem nescie¬ bat. Quod certe factum est multo ante, quam diceretur de eo : Credidit Abraham Deo etc. Tertio, quoniam idem confirmant Patres, Origenes lib. iv. in epist. ad Rom. Ambro¬ sius lib. r. de Abraham cap. 2. Chrysosto- mus hom. 31. et 36. in Genes, et Augustinus lib. xvi. de Civit. Dei cap. 13. Quarto, quoniam id quod dicitur Genes, xv. Credidit Abraham Deo, et reputatum est ei ad justitiam (1), si verba Hebraea diligenter inspiciantur, hunc sensum habet, quod a- ctus ille credendi fuerit opus justum et me¬ ritorium, et pro tali sit a Deo judicatum et acceptum. Ex quo intelligimus, cum antea fuisse justum, cum opera justa facere potue¬ rit, eaque fide non esse factum justum ex impio, sed justiorem ex justo. Dico igitur, Paulum usum esse exemplo Abrahae, non ut significaret, Abrahamiimf tunc primum justificatum fuisse aepeccatis, sed ut ostenderet, non justificari impium ex operibus sine fide et gratia Doii&uHsyised; ex fide et gratia Dei. Nam sj^Ateialiaaiirpisl.jB^t non est factus justior egqo perib a$ ;§in e fidup. multo magis impius non poterit fieri justffiSn ex operibus sine fid&lioi^io «n/ligi moxnhH Possumus enipj guere tres et non merc^j.qii^is gfsgpn^g&gekwilin» tem est ^ impi^j jpstjf^tqfyj , S&nn ram, quapsit; RtM^iiPAigrfitiaj.quali&^psti, etiam^cyqdiiiq .W,;ygg^a,t^pa3 gr4tiu,HgeaIife8s^t(|.sj,]?qiqu g* (ffi^M'Sftin lius liberi arbitrii viribus factis justiflcjux^qr^ % mfyM oD]ft ftifte v : iWnft u P-p*H\on Ktsnv't»i>v.vQ mu m is tju>nosA»« wVs» Igdur ^qstplps.^L- ttojn. A,- loqujtu.rydefu prima justificatione, qua quis ex impio fit j UstiikA i pE«vlx^u«^.n-.eaHfcs’u®aq fiBia-uxiepfetibUgV sed®x fid©yiekenipluish .rp^A tat^alstre^ikla-ijsistifiua^ioflbjfqsa quis exljustoo frt^ufetibK^ua^Paute et? Jucdb«®,.moinsemx tMttt-ofiildnQ ■infidxempfO,Abrah®y utiTerbis . Mopsii fiU&tligsaHisy quamvis' ud-varias ; 'eortiu clusioties^pnqbattdas ffiismtnfftuigm cmu Dasb Porro sicut' 'Paulus y cum.' loqueretur dei prima jUstifiMtiUnUy attulit exemplum1 Abra-.-, hae, qii ud> erat oieouudte p > probaret?» mUfc jori, non pOsyaimpi«ftlfjustifiO"an-ex,bpefi-i' bus sine fide j ?sl iAbMbam?.jUStSSis mm estifeiq ctus justior ex operibus sine fide : sic Jaco*- bus cum loqueretur;de:secunda; jnstifi-eatia- ne, attulit exemplum Ruaby quodie&t; prima! a justificationis, ut pr obaret laauajiorr,- justum;-, fieri justiorem exioperibnsyiet. ama , ex^ftdey, tantum : si Raah dx meretrice facta .est: justa y ex operibu^nefcinqiE iexiifide;rtautuni. .NanaA probabilenesti vaMe.;, Raqb usque? adniladi tempus, IqaibssusudpitHniiilBibsj^ofete^ cflHSgdn non soiumirmagetricem , .sfidzuttemiliaMelemsb sed;ah;;®Qi:tempQrej -i®4edyidte9&jnoD«ii®l|a »kn opere 'ifioimisemmidiaaHpr^parajiaiUirfuassqa adi rjustificatianeilprita ifeo Uumdilud. fep iig| ex fide factum, non fuerit meritorium isim&a plieiferi 4usJ»6e6tiol0s,i«edii®#P«fe®sbfe ietede congruoy. utisuppadiximufedB dispositionibus; i advg*®fou»8 tW*umjb t&Siw&oft Vi asirtao \mm cu -Wivotl «yvosuR «? «wnojiu^sfowos le eitasur idU ,(S)V-\ -ilonn 0383 mahnsiaftoiq meinfhaq ehoqiou Op&sa-jfottti/fc&r®} pxaUtitom fix-jcdmi&adptwdsi', et rationibus. .mon ai .dJnhoD bis if numsomilsol mcficuQ yPcmter^yJae'Qibi;ivtestimqnium, qiicai's\ajt&»4i tissimuiu estgn-udfi . ;de suut,;aiia\^tol\as,«quaevy btsftYiter.qperstrihgomtis:. Idem;- dgitnfs prob^dd tu^jefcyecbis^issEutlteadastibima^i.iaijf^psref) nnpediprisiarafi Sfflipgrq xefS *«q imnd0s .usqu&i monatiSapiEbs,::; u t ass idu a (Mutio ne. justi ti am ae^tram «m: •. atque^e^q stt*id8W»u«ib » fod*i>v/ mina sido jQ?jvin:usiin AutidstQ ex.iiOCcasiQn®) firseieb ' vopub^li9U.ge4-y4iitdi©it,itegenduittq-.esseq;iJQft:b dislferqfr ju&tifjcaiiimsq-ttO udsttieriifmsfi i ufe dfiaes q testimopiuuvudipiimiamijustificatianeraymmlv ad secundum ug urtibeati,-: At i ivmbujmsitlud; ? Grsequmijppfest. sommedei v»»tq i u*> cessgsj. quo $yd^>idem«oam iMoysona-yererisjuq veboRt jegitiS. A©gusjtos(<iU'stSgeejatep a»r.\ verearis. Omnia enim continuationem et VIX «u.ol d) — « r A7.0 .twrtf (t) — .ot ,21 -'io:> H (6)— A Jf/ ,%<& R <£)— -61 (I) Gen. XV, 6. ~ (2) Ecol. XVIII, 22. . i rU.XX .t«s<I (V) ~ .11 ,UX£ A V -tm% (1) .oqA ‘fi) — ,fi£ 336 UBER IV. progressionem, non inchoationem justitise significant. Et consonant huic sensui prae¬ cedentia et sequentia. Illud enim quod pro¬ xime antecedit : Non impediaris orare sem- per , significat continuationem et progressum orationis, quae propria sunt justorum profi¬ cientium, non impiorum nondum converso¬ rum. Quod autem proxime sequitur : Quia merces Domini manet in aeternum, est ratio aptissima, congruens praecepto augendae ju¬ stificationis. Nam primae justificationi im¬ piorum non merces, sed indulgentia con¬ gruit. Alterum testimonium habetur apud Apo¬ stolum ad Rom. vi. Sicut exhibuistis membra vestra servire immunditiae et iniquitati ad ini¬ quitatem , sic exhibete membra vestra servire justitiae in sanctificationem (I). Quo loco illud, in sanctificationem , non significat, ad acqui¬ rendam primam sanctitatem : nam sanctos et justos alloquebatur Paulus, sed adaugen¬ dam sanctificationem. Intelligi autem per sanctificationem, justificationem, et per san¬ ctitatem, justitiam, perspicuum est ex an- tithesi. Opponit enim sanctificationem ini¬ quitati. Tertium testimonium est ejusdem Apostoli in posteriore ad Corinthios cap. vii. Has ergo habentes promissiones charissimi, emundemus nos ab omni inquinamento carnis et spiritus , perficientes sanctificationem in timore Domi¬ ni (2). Ubi docet Apostolus, per mentis et corporis puritatem proficiendum esse quoti¬ die ad majorem justitiam et sanctificatio¬ nem. Quartum testimonium II ad Corinth. ix. Multiplicabit semen, et augebit incrementa frugum justitia, vestrae 13). Docemur his ver¬ bis, per eleemosynas liberaliter pauperibus erogatas, diminui facultates, sed augeri ju¬ stitiam. Ubi opportune etiam Paulus allegat illud Psalmi exi. Dispersit, dedit pauperibus, justitia ejus manet in saeculum saeculi (4) ; pul¬ chre enim verbo, « dispersit », opponitur verbum contrarium, « manet », quia sicut divitiae corporales per eleemosynam dissi¬ pantur, ita justitia spiritualis per eamdem eleemosynam radicatur, stabilitur, et crescit, ut manere possit in saeculum saeculi. Quintum testimonium Joan. xiv. Qui dili¬ git me, sei'monem meum servabit, et Pater meus diligit eum (5). Haec nova dilectio post impleta mandata, quid est, nisi dilectionis, ac per hoc justitiae augmentum, quod per observantiam divinae legis acquiritur ? Sextum testimonium, Apocal. ult. Qui in sordibus est, sardescat adhuc, et qui justus est, justificetur adhuc (6). Certe qui magis sordescunt, per mala opera, et nova peccata sordescunt : igitur et qui magis justificantur, per bona opera, et novam obedientiam ju¬ stificantur. His addi possunt duae rationes ex iis, quae in capitibus superioribus probata sunt. Nam si potest justus legem divinam implere, ut supra demonstratum est, potest etiam sine dubio per opera justificari. Neque enim ad¬ versarii negant, implenti legem, deberi ju¬ stitiam : (i Obedientia legis » (inquit Philip¬ pus in Apologia Confess. tit. de impletione legis) « esset justitia, si legem faceremus». Rursus, si potest justus opera vere bona fa¬ cere, quae nullo vitio polluta sint, ut supra ostendimus : potest utique justitiam facere, et multiplicando opera justa, consequenter augere justitiam.